3 keys for No. 5 UNC men's basketball against No. 17 Duke

Tonight, the North Carolina men's basketball team finishes its regular season in a home clash with Duke at the Smith Center at 8:20 p.m.

UNC struggled in its 86-78 loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 9, but the Tar Heels ripped off four straight wins before losing to Virginia on Monday. Meanwhile, the win over North Carolina was the Blue Devils' fourth in a seven-game winning streak, but Duke has dropped two of its past three games.

Here are three keys for the No. 5 Tar Heels (25-6, 13-4 ACC) against the No. 17 Blue Devils (23-7, 11-6 ACC).

Jackson vs. Kennard

Tonight's contest will showcase two of the top players in the country.

UNC's Justin Jackson and Duke's Luke Kennard, each team's respective top scorer, are two of 10 semifinalists for the 2017 Naismith Award and the front-runners for ACC Player of the Year. Kennard is second in the conference in points per game (19.8) and first in 3-point percentage (45.4), while Jackson is seventh in points (18.4) and second in 3-pointers per game (2.7).

In February's matchup, both players scored at least 20 points on eight made baskets and two made 3-pointers. Since then, each have had three 20-point outings and are making strong cases for postseason hardware.

Both teams will lean heavily on their stars tonight. Whichever shines brighter could swing the outcome.

Battle of the boards

North Carolina is the best rebound team in the country, pacing the nation in rebounds per game (44), offensive rebounds per game (15.9) and rebounding margin per game (13.3).

But in February, Duke flipped the script.

The Blue Devils outrebounded the Tar Heels, 31-30, in the team's previous meeting this season, holding UNC to 12 second-chance points. Duke hasn't been a dominant rebounding team this season, but it still kept North Carolina in check on the glass to strip its rival of its biggest strength.

UNC's unmatched advantage on the boards has overwhelmed opponents this season and created opportunities for its offense, both on the fast break and in the paint. But when their opponent holds the rebounding edge, the Tar Heels are 0-3 this season — including both the Duke loss and Monday's loss at Virginia.

North Carolina reasserting itself on the glass doesn't bode well for the Blue Devils. But if it's a wash, Duke could threaten yet again.

Beyond the arc

In February, a cascade of 3-pointers from the Blue Devils buried UNC's chances late.

In their previous meeting, Duke sank 13 of its 27 attempts from the perimeter, including seven from Grayson Allen and two from Jayson Tatum — who hit a late dagger from the corner to secure the momentum.

That game also saw two 3-pointers from Kennard, who ranks first in the ACC in 3-point percentage and fifth in made 3-pointers. As a team, the Blue Devils are fourth in the conference in made threes.

The Tar Heels have struggled to defend the 3-point shot this season, and UNC hasn't made a living from the perimeter on its own. On the other end, Duke is among the best in the nation in limiting 3-pointers.

If North Carolina takes an early lead, the Blue Devils are far from out of it. And if the game turns into a 3-point shootout, the Tar Heels are in trouble.

@CJacksonCowart

sports@dailytarheel.com